Page 2 - 2021 JAN/FEB Outdoor Oklahoma Magazine

Panoramas

or those of us who love the outdoors, our hope is control structures at Schooler Lake and Lake Watonga Dam.
to leave Oklahoma in even better shape than when NRDA funds are also being used to replace the antiquated
we first took steps into the woods, the prairies, main water pipeline to the hatchery and pump station at J.A.
Fcreeks and hills. I’m proud to be able to say our Manning State Fish Hatchery at Medicine Park.
state’s leadership, in concert with the Oklahoma Depart- • Acquiring and using equipment to remove cedar trees, and
ment of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC), are doing just tractors, ATVs and other equipment to improve fencing and

that through a unique national program aimed at mitigation fireguards to conduct more prescribed burns and facilitate
for polluted environments: the Natural Resources Damage beneficial grazing across the state.
Assessment and Restoration program (NRDA). • Improving wildlife habitat on numerous WMAs to include
NRDA is the legal process that federal agencies, with the states vegetation control, wetland restorations, and other
and American Indian nations, use to evaluate — infrastructure improvements.
and mitigate — the environmental impacts of oil Most notably, NRDA funds were lever-
spills, hazardous waste sites, and ship groundings aged to acquire 7,602 acres in Haskell County,

on natural resources. resulting in the new Sans Bois WMA; 239
Oklahoma has eight contaminated sites acres for Atoka WMA; 557 acres in McCur-
resulting from the release of sewage, mining tain County adjacent to Grassy Slough WMA;
waste, refinery waste and other hazardous sub- and 124 acres for Drummond Flat WMA.
stances. Fines from damages to the resources, These properties will be perpetually open to
received through litigation, were put into a the public for hunting and fishing and repre-
fund administered by my office at the Okla- sent critical habitat for fish and wildlife.
Kenneth Wagner
homa Secretary of Energy and Environment. The work is not yet complete. We are now
Working alongside state and federal agencies, we recently partnering on several exciting projects in northeastern Oklaho-

developed the first Statewide Comprehensive Restoration ma, including one that would permanently restore and protect
Plan to begin putting these settlement funds to good use. (and guarantee future public access to) a portion of one of our
The plan outlines the goals and processes to rehabilitate those state’s most pristine Ozark streams in the Illinois River watershed.
injured areas or to acquire the resource equivalent for the Our state is truly one of the best places in the world to live, fish,
services they provide. hunt, or enjoy outdoor activities. And I am proud to say through
In 2018, ODWC submitted its first project proposals for this program and others, we are making a lasting difference. I
NRDA funding, in most cases leveraging 3-to-1 federal grant hope to see you soon out there enjoying Outdoor Oklahoma.
toration. These projects received approval, and ODWC went Kenneth Wagner
funding to yield millions of dollars for fish and wildlife res-

to work on projects including: Kenneth Wagner
• Rehabilitating existing water supply reservoirs, roadways and Secretary of Energy and Environment
fencing at Durant State Fish Hatchery and replacing water State of Oklahoma

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